When Devils Fall
by Rapndash
Summary: What happens when a legendary devil hunter finds himself on the brink of death?  When a new demon proves to be a match for Dante, it's up to Nero to find a way to save him...with the aid of an unexpected ally. Not a slash fic, sorry guys.
1. Reflection

**When Devils Fall**

A Devil May Cry Fan fic by Rapndash

**Disclaimer**: Devil May Cry and its characters are the property of Capcom. I claim no ownership of any character save my own. I've had this idea for a fic floating around in my head for a while, and I just couldn't let it go. This fic will be rated mostly for violence and language with likely no lemons involved. There will be no Yaoi in this story. This is about the family ties between Dante and Nero, and incest is not on the menu, sorry. I hope you enjoy! Please leave a review and let me know what you think. No flames please, but constructive criticism is welcome.

**Chapter 1: Reflection**

It was a beautiful sunny day in the Castle Town of Fortuna. Citizens milled about the streets, grateful to finally have some moments of peace. It had been several months since the defeat of the False Savior, and the Order of the Sword had been reorganized. The religious leaders were working extra hard to maintain the faith of the people. The Holy Knights had trained new recruits to replace those lost in the war, and a new general had been chosen. With the threat of demons mostly nullified, the people were at ease. But with the new-found peace, there also came a sense of boredom. This certainly became the case for a certain demon hunter.

Nero grew increasingly restless as the days passed. With the reestablishment of the Order, there was less need for his talents. It wasn't that he was ungrateful for the efforts of the other knights. Less demons meant he had less to worry about regarding Kyrie's safety. The problem lay in Nero's new-found abilities—namely his Devil Bringer. Many of the citizens and almost all of the new knights were leery of trusting him now that his mysterious origins had been revealed. This fact alone wasn't the sole reason for Nero's dissatisfaction. He had always been more of a lone wolf even before his arm changed due to his rebellious nature. His lack of piety was also a source of frustration from his superiors. His demonic powers only served to increase the rift between him and society, despite his role in saving the city. His superiors, however, seemed to use this as an excuse to assign him petty tasks with low pay. This was especially frustrating considering Nero had voluntarily cleared out most of the demons left roaming the city. Money was tight enough as it was, especially considering he was supporting not only himself but his girlfriend as well.

Kyrie was in the kitchen when Nero entered. He was returning from Order Headquarters after an important meeting. He tried to talk the new general into giving him more assignments or raising his pay, but his appeals were ignored. He was barely paid enough to support them, and Nero suspected that the fact he was taking care of Kyrie was the only reason they didn't dock his pay more. He slumped on the couch and sighed in frustration.

"Welcome home, Nero," came a soft voice. "How did the meeting go?"

Nero looked up and smiled slightly as Kyrie walked over to join him on the couch. "Coulda been worse, I suppose. Though I'm starting to wonder how. Just more boring talk over patrols and demon sightings...nothing new. They still refuse to send me out on assignments. It's been nearly two weeks since I've had any work."

Kyrie smiled and hugged him gently. She knew the stress was beginning to take its toll on him. The New Order didn't want or care about his talents anymore, and it pained her to think of how much it hurt him.

"Did you ask the new general about it? He surely knows we're going through lean times."

The young man leaned into his lover's embrace, feeling ashamed to be unable to properly provide for her. "I honestly don't think he gives a damn about how rough this is on us. When I brought it up, he basically told me to stop whining and feel grateful he even paid me at all. Seems saving the city doesn't mean anything when you've got demon blood."

She sighed into his hair as she tried to comfort her boyfriend. "I'm sorry, Nero. I wish there was more I could do to help."

"You shouldn't have to," he protested weakly. "I'm supposed to take care of you, but I can't even get any decent work around here anymore." He clenched his fists instinctively, cursing his new demonic limb. While he'd accepted his new powers, the dramatic increase in his strength was now more of a liability than an asset. He gently pulled away from Kyrie's embrace and stood.

"Nero," she said, "You shouldn't feel responsible for all this. It isn't your fault they can't understand."

"I know," he replied. "It's just...discouraging."

Nero made his way up the stairs to his room. He needed some time alone to think. There had to be a better way to make a living. He heard Kyrie call up to him, but he ignored her, lost in his own thoughts. Some boyfriend he was. Not only could he barely afford to support them, but he felt his heritage was dragging her reputation down as well.

Kyrie had avoided the brunt of ridicule that Nero himself faced. A fact for which he was grateful. But she was still shunned by many people who disapproved of an unmarried couple living together. The fact that Nero had demonic powers did not help that stance either. Indeed, it seemed that Kyrie was the only person willing to be around Nero for any length of time. He knew that she felt isolated from her former friends and associates…and it pained him worse than his own seclusion. She had always been well known and well liked among the people, but it seemed that her association with him had all but negated that. It was something he hated himself for. Despite all of this, Kyrie remained bright and cheerful. It was a welcome comfort for the increasingly depressed youth. Still, Nero hated dragging her down like this. She deserved far better than he could give her. He wanted to give her a better life…away from all the drama. But with their current financial trouble, the prospect was impossible. If only he knew of some place out of the city where he could earn a decent living to support them.

Nero lay back on his bed and sighed in frustration. He vaguely wondered if Dante faced similar hardships due to his half-devil heritage. Nero hadn't seen or heard from the older man since the defeat of the False Savior. He figured a big city like the one Dante lived in would probably offer more opportunities for work. He'd often wondered if he would hear from the legendary Son of Sparda, but he knew the prospect was unlikely. Dante didn't seem the type who paid social visits.

Nero sat up and reached into the nightstand beside the bed. He pulled out a slip of paper and looked at it for the hundredth time. It contained a phone number with the words "Devil May Cry" above it. Trish had slipped it to him shortly before she had left Fortuna. Nero had been surprised to run into her as they swept through the city cleaning up some of the remaining demons. She claimed that she'd given him the note in case he wanted to 'keep in touch' as she'd put it. He honestly hadn't put much thought into it before now. His work had kept him too busy to consider contacting Devil May Cry. With the Order reorganized and the strain of supporting his girlfriend, however, Nero's curiosity was beginning to get the better of him. Maybe Dante could use an extra hand on jobs. Or maybe he knew some leads on other job opportunities. It was worth a shot. It's not like Nero's situation could get much worse than it already was.

That settled it then. Nero tucked the note into his pocket and headed downstairs to the phone. He wasn't even sure if Dante would help him or merely laugh at him. But anything was better than sitting around waiting for the Order to finally send him on a job...or simply run him out of town. Either way, he just needed someone who would listen.


	2. Invitations

**When Devils Fall**

A Devil May Cry Fan fic by Rapndash

**Disclaimer**: Devil May Cry and its characters are the property of Capcom. I claim no ownership of any character save my own. Slow starts are a pain, I know. I just hope you guys will enjoy it more once the action picks up. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.

**Chapter 2: Invitations**

Lady wiped the sweat from her brow as she strolled down the street toward her bike. These jobs were growing more difficult with each passing day. She enjoyed the challenge as much as anyone, but it also made protecting the innocent that much more difficult. It seemed this latest case would require more thought and planning to complete. And more time often meant more victims, which she desperately wished to avoid as much as possible. The symptoms were much like typical demon attacks, but the method of killing was atypical of her usual cases.

The victim was a young woman, attacked within her own home. Her neighbors heard no noise from the house, and there had been no witnesses to describe the murderer. The body had been found by a family friend who had come by to visit. There were no signs of struggle and very little blood. The only markings on the victim's body were bruises on the arms resembling claw marks and two small puncture wounds at the base of the neck. It didn't appear that any blood had been drained, though, so a vampire attack was out of the question. It seemed as if the woman's life force itself had simply been drained away, leaving nothing behind but a lifeless corpse.

Sighing, Lady climbed onto her motorbike, pausing to adjust the rocket launcher slung over her back. With any luck, her contacts would have more information for her to work with by the time she returned. But she was beginning to feel like the situation was only going to grow worse before it got better. Perhaps those books on demon types that her father had left behind would prove useful after all. It was the only reason she hadn't burned them after his death. She revved the bike, abruptly ceasing her musings, and sped away down the street. Why did things have to be so complicated?

* * *

><p>Dante leaned back in his chair, propping his feet on the desk in front of him as he took another bite of pizza. It was a pleasant day, and he was in a particularly good mood from finishing a rather interesting job. Though the client hadn't been too pleased about the damage to his property. At least he'd been paid for the job, though it was less than promised due to compensation charges. Dante didn't sweat it much. Large tables happened to make great improvised weapons, and demons didn't exactly respect property rights. If Lady gave him hell over it, he'd deal with it as he usually did. After all, it wasn't as much fun holding back for the sake of a few pieces of broken furniture.<p>

"Honestly, Dante. It's amazing anyone even hires you anymore. Would it really kill you to be a little more careful?" Trish scolded him.

The Half-Devil scoffed, brushing her off. "Does it really bother you that much? You'd just waste all the money on clothes anyway. Gotta add a little excitement to these easy missions, Babe."

Trish snatched up the last slice of pizza just as Dante reached for it. "You're already in enough debt as it is. If you can manage to pay it off, then you can afford to play around."

Pouting slightly, Dante resumed glancing through his firearms magazine. Trish's nagging could be mostly ignored, at least. Money problems were another matter. He was barely making it by between bills and debts. Hopefully Lady would come by with another job soon. Calls had been slow lately, and he was beginning to grow bored with menial assignments.

The phone rang, breaking the relative silence of the shop. Trish shook her head as Dante made no move to answer it, despite his obvious boredom. She reached over him and snatched up the receiver.

"Devil May Cry."

"Trish? It's me...Nero."

A sly smile crossed the devil's face at the sound of the youth's familiar voice. "Well...this is a surprise. How've you been doing these past few months?"

The casualness of her greeting stirred Dante's curiosity momentarily. He didn't generally feel his work line should be tied up with personal calls. Something about Trish's tone kept him from speaking up on the matter though. It didn't sound like she was just having a "girl talk" or something similar.

"Really? Sounds pretty rough." There was a pause, then Trish continued. "As a matter of fact, he's right here. I'll put him on."

Trish turned and gave Dante a small wink. "It's Nero...that kid from Fortuna. Seems he wants to talk to you."

Dante was surprised to hear that name. He didn't expect he'd hear from the teen again since he'd left Fortuna. Surely Nero would be able to handle any demons that might pop up himself. Maybe the kid missed him. The Devil Hunter accepted the receiver Trish offered him, thoroughly intrigued by this unexpected call.

"Hey, kid! How's it goin? Didn't think I'd hear from you again," Dante chatted lightly. "No more take overs or demon invasions, I hope?"

"It's pretty quiet now, honestly," Nero told him. "That's sorta why I called, actually. I wondered if you might need a little help around the shop?"

The Devil Hunter cocked an eyebrow. Just how bad were things in Fortuna if the kid was calling him for work? "Business is good enough, I suppose, but why're you calling here? Those tight-ass employers of yours not paying you?"

There was a heavy sigh before the reply came. "It's been two weeks since I've been givin any assignments. The higher-ups in the Order don't seem to want me around anymore cause of this damn arm of mine."

Dante winced slightly. He understood the difficulty associated with having demon blood. Didn't seem to matter how many they saved. He let out a low whistle. "Sorry to hear that, kid. It's tough bein' a hero."

Nero scoffed. "Yeah, sure. 'Hero.' I can barely make ends meet these days despite sticking my neck out for the ungrateful bastards. Wouldn't be as bad if I wasn't..."

Nero cut himself off, sighing once more. There was an abrupt pause, and Dante thought he heard some mumbled talking in the background. The pieces began to fall into place as he realized who the other voice belonged to.

"You're trying to support your girlfriend, right?"

"Yeah..."

It was clear the kid was feeling ashamed. Politics and prejudice were bad enough without the pressure of supporting someone besides himself. Dante felt a twinge of sympathy for Nero. He mulled Nero's question around in his head for a couple minutes. Trish was beginning to show signs of splitting off on her own again, and he wasn't feeling up for asking her to stick around this time. Perhaps having the kid around to help with some of the simpler missions wasn't a bad idea. Besides, he was curious to see if Nero's fighting skills had improved since he'd left a few months ago.

"Alright, kid. I guess I could help ya out. Just don't think you can get away with slackin' off up here. You wanna get paid, you'll have to earn it."

Nero let out a short laugh. "Don't worry. I'll try not to make you look bad. I'm not sure I can get there any sooner than tomorrow, though."

"Don't sweat it, kid. Just get here when ya can, and we'll see what you can do."

"Sure. Until tomorrow then, I guess," Nero said. He paused slightly, then added, "And Dante...thanks."

Dante smiled. "See ya, kid."

Trish turned toward him from her seated position on the desk, curiosity dancing in her eyes. Feeling mischievous, Dante pretended not to notice as he returned to reading his magazine. She sighed impatiently as she rose from her seat. She strolled around him and snatched the magazine from his hands, forcing him to acknowledge her.

"Hey!" the half-devil protested. "I'm still readin' that!"

Trish shook her head at him, placing her hands on her hips while still gripping the magazine. "Spill it, Dante. Just what did you two talk about? Nero sounded like something was bothering him, and if I didn't know better, I'd say you invited him up here."

Dante huffed slightly. "Yeah, well...Nero called looking for a new job. Seems those self-righteous bigots have practically ostracized the poor kid 'cause of that arm of his."

The demon's face softened a bit. "No wonder he sounded so depressed. I take it that girl, Kyrie, moved in with him as well?"

"Seems that way," Dante confirmed. He dropped his feet and sat forward. "I imagine he feels ashamed to be unable to make enough of a living to provide for 'em both. Figured there wasn't any harm in letting him handle a few of the easy jobs around here."

"You mean the ones you're too lazy to take yourself?" Trish teased, smirking. "You know...If I didn't know better, I'd say you really care about the boy."

Scoffing, Dante stood and wandered toward the back of the shop into the bathroom. "Maybe...maybe I just feel like helping him out. It's not like I haven't been through the same shit he's goin' through."

The door closed. Trish let out a laughing sigh, tossing the magazine onto the desk. She suspected Dante asked Nero to come stay with them out of more than just pity. He was too proud to admit to it, but he certainly appeared to regard the teen in almost a fatherly fashion. Besides, he wouldn't have just given his long-dead brother's sword to a punk. Not only was Yamato a very powerful devil arm, but there was a certain amount of sentimental value attached to the sword. Dante and Vergil may not have parted on the best of terms, but they were still family.

A family that had been taken from him long ago.

Trish pushed the thoughts from her mind as the office doors opened. She looked up as Lady strolled into the office. There was a sense of urgency about her as she marched right up to the lightning demon.

"Afternoon, Lady," Trish greeted. "Something on your mind?"

Lady nodded, before glancing about the room. "Is Dante in or is he out gallivanting around the city again?" she asked shortly.

"He's in," Trish answered, nodding toward the door at the back. "He's just...occupied. You got a job?"

"Yeah, and a big one, too." Lady paused before adding, "It has to do with some unusual serial killings in the city. And, if my sources are correct...we may have a very dangerous demon to deal with."


	3. Opportunities

**When Devils Fall**

A Devil May Cry Fan fic by Rapndash

**Disclaimer**: Devil May Cry and its characters are the property of Capcom. I claim no ownership of any character save my own. Thanks for the support so far. I'll be updating this in between updates for my Zelda fic as I can, but hopefully I can keep both going at a reasonable pace. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.

**Chapter 3: ****Opportunities**

"Can't you be serious for one minute?" Lady practically screamed.

Dante rolled his eyes as he finally sat forward. He'd only been half listening as Lady started ranting about how unreliable and lazy he was being lately. What started as a job offer quickly became nagging as Dante became lost in his own thoughts. She was so easy and _fun_ to irritate that he could rarely resist the temptation. He also had a lot going through his mind at the moment. He couldn't get Nero's call out of his head.

"_Dante!_"

"Sheesh, Lady. No need to get your panties in a bunch," the Half Devil said, sounding rather bored. "I've just got a lot on my mind right now."

Lady sighed in frustration as Trish shook her head. "Well, you can daydream later. This job is extremely important and I _thought _you might be interested. Considering how badly I know you need the money, you should be a little more grateful that I'm giving it to you at all."

He chuckled. "You make it sound like the world is coming to an end. So, what's up? Some hostile cultists or evil towers poppin' up again?"

There was a growl of irritation from the brunette, and Dante was honestly surprised she didn't try to shoot him. "I almost wish it was something that simple. I'm afraid it's much worse than anything I've seen before. Have you heard anything about a string of unusual murders around the city?"

Dante thought for a couple of minutes. "I might've heard a rumor or two. Can't say I pay much attention to the news."

"Well, maybe you should," Lady said. "It may not seem all that important, but whatever is responsible for these murders is a serious threat. We could have an extremely dangerous demon roaming loose in the city, and you're totally oblivious to it!"

Lady's tone left no doubt as to the seriousness of the situation. She was certainly in far less of a mood to tolerate his usual teasing. "If a demon has been running around killing folks, then why haven't I heard about it before now? Most of the demons I've fought lack the subtlety of your serial killer. There would have to be some evidence of its presence even if there were no witnesses."

For the first time since she'd arrived, Lady visibly relaxed. Now that Dante was actually _listening_ to her, maybe they could make some progress toward solving the issue at hand. She leaned forward, bracing her hands on the desk.

"That's what worries me. There are almost no clues to indicate whoever is responsible for these murders. Each of the victims were killed in their own homes. There were no signs of a struggle, no strange noises heard by the neighbors, and no witnesses who saw anything out of the ordinary. The only marks on the body are two puncture wounds on the lower neck and deep gashes on the arms or body that seem to suggest the person was restrained in some way. When I got a closer look at the last woman who was killed, I noticed the gashes were consistent with those caused by claws."

"You sure it's not a vampire or something?" Dante asked, smugly. "I seem to recall a demon or two that behaved a lot like that. Seduce ya to get close, then latch on and drain you dry."

Lady glared at him, which only cause the demon hunter's smile to broaden. "That's the confusing part. The victims aren't drained of blood. In fact, they loose very little of it in the attack. It's like the demon just sucks the life right out of them."

"Strange," Trish pondered aloud. "I'm not sure I know of any demons with that behavior. I wonder why they would suddenly show up now."

"Considering most of the demons we've killed have been less subtle, I suppose it's possible for a few of them to hide out and feed without being discovered," Dante remarked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Still, it seems like someone would've seen _something_ unusual...unless they can somehow mask their appearance."

Lady started to offer a retort but stopped short, suddenly reconsidering her annoyance at Dante's half-teasing remark. She was instantly reminded of her father swapping freely and rapidly between his 'human' form and Jester, keeping her and the Sons of Sparda oblivious to his secret identity until they had unlocked the gate to the Underworld. If Arkham, a human who possessed demonic power, could pull off such a trick so convincingly, then why not a full blooded demon? It seemed she may need to read through some of his old tomes after all.

"You know something," she said finally, "I think you may actually be onto something. If this demon is able to change its shape, it could explain the lack of evidence or witnesses. It's probably how it hunts and protects itself. And it's obviously intelligent enough to leave almost no trace of its existence."

Dante blinked a couple times, confused. He hadn't really considered the idea to be plausible when it popped into his head, but his instincts were right about these things more often than not. A devious grin found its way onto his face.

"Sounds like fun. I could do with some entertainment," he said. Dante sat back again, growing thoughtful. "Bet the kid'll get a kick outta this, too."

Now it was Lady's turn to be confused. "Kid? What are you mumbling about now?"

Trish spoke up, joining the conversation once more. "That kid from Fortuna with the demonic arm we were telling you about. Nero called here asking Dante for help finding work. Seems his newly enhanced powers have made his superiors distrustful of him."

"You mean the one who finished your job for you when I asked you to check on that cult a few months back?" Lady asked as she stood again. "From what I heard, that kid gave you a run for your money."

Dante scoffed. "He got lucky the first time. The kid's got some skill, to be sure, but I could easily kick his ass."

Lady shook her head and sighed. "Well, I suppose his skills could come in handy...provided you feel he's trustworthy. If he's anywhere near as reckless as you, though, I may have to draw the line. The last thing we need is another hot-head with a blatant disregard for anything but himself."

"I make no promises," Dante chuckled, "but Nero's a good kid. Seems to take his work pretty seriously, if that makes you feel any better."

"As long as _somebody_ does, maybe we can actually accomplish something," Lady muttered. She shouldered Kalina Ann once more and turned to leave. "I'll get in touch with my contacts and try to get some more information for you. Don't take that as an excuse to be lazy, though. The sooner we find where this demon is hiding, the sooner we can put a stop to it."

The demon hunter chuckled. "Alright, I'll take a look around and see if I can pick up on anything."

Dante stood as Lady left the shop and stretched lazily. If Lady's clues were any indication, this job may prove to be more entertaining than the ones he'd been getting lately. With the extra help he would be getting, he'd take all the excitement he could get. Nero seemed to be in the same boat as well. If the kid was anything like him, Dante knew the teen had to be bored out of his skull on top of having a lack of funds.

"Where are you going now?" Trish asked as Dante wandered up the stairs, lost in thought.

He waved her off. "Don't worry, Babe. I'll go out tonight and take a look around the city for this demon. I'm just gonna catch a nap and clear my thoughts before the kid gets here tomorrow."

Trish scoffed incredulously. "Honestly, how do you get by when you're _this_ lazy? You just told Lady that you would look into it, and you're napping?"

Dante snickered. "Gotta be well rested if I'm gonna be fighting demons. Besides, from what Lady told us, this demon probably hunts at night when it's less likely to be spotted. Which means I'll have a better chance of finding it if I go after dark. Give me some credit here."

"Leave it to a Son of Sparda to come up with a reasonable excuse to slack off," he heard Trish mutter as he closed his bedroom door behind him.

Dante tossed his coat over a chair and collapsed on a bed with a heavy sigh. He honestly wasn't tired...not really anyway. He just wanted some time alone to think. He was genuinely concerned about a demon preying on innocent people. With so little info, tracking it down would be difficult. The fighting part would be easy enough for the Half Demon. Still, without knowing what he was up against, he would have to stay on his toes. He shrugged it off. Challenging fights made his job more exciting. Besides, Nero would be coming to help out soon enough.

Dante couldn't help but wonder about the kid. Nero was far different than any other member of the Order that he'd run into during his job in Fortuna. He was isolated from his peers by his heritage, made even more difficult because of his transformed arm. Didn't stop Nero from fighting for his beliefs, though. In many ways, the kid reminded Dante of a younger, more rebellious version of himself. Perhaps that was what had compelled him to help the kid...and entrust him with Vergil's old sword. The sword had been drawn to Nero's power, repairing itself when even the most talented scientists of the Order couldn't. It was almost as if Yamato had 'chosen' Nero...so to speak. But why?

He pushed the thought from his mind. He owned plenty of Devil Arms. The sword had probably just responded to presence of demonic power. In any case, pondering it further wasn't getting him any answers. Or helping him catch an illusive demon. Dante closed his eyes and let himself finally relax. There would be plenty of time to think once the job was done. And maybe with Nero's help, it'd actually be exciting.


End file.
